PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - Putting R134a Refrigerant In A 1991 W126 350SDL--Use A Different Expansion Valve?

Squiggle Dog · #25 08-05-2016, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leathermang

So just how good a friend is this guy ?

there are several threads.. some currently running talking about flushing the evaporator... also important to clean the outside fins of the evaporator...

Well, besides passing the car onto him, I have replaced the injection pump and seals, replaced the vacuum pump, replaced the glow plugs, wire harness and module, replaced the headlights, and rebuilt the transmission.

One of the reasons we were really looking forward to getting the car for him was because it had good working air conditioning. Someone went to the trouble of custom-making a factory-looking parallel-flow condenser so it would work with R134a. It blew very cold for years.

Unfortunately, when my roommate took possession of the car, the air conditioning was only slightly cool. Then after the car sat while the transmission was out, the air was no longer cold.

My roommate took it to an air conditioning shop for a quick charge. The shop said that the system was empty because the suction hose and compressor were leaking. They wanted $2,000 just to get the system to hold refrigerant, then another $1,500 to fix the "Jerry-rigged fan wiring and non-operational dash vents".

So then the plan became to just replace the leaking hose and compressor and get it charged. But I decided to go the extra mile and remove all of the hoses so they could be rebuilt. Now it's looking like a can of worms.

I thought that the air conditioning shop was supposed to flush the system and add oil. I'm doing this on very limited time since I work long hours and have a long commute, plus a sleeping disorder where I don't feel right if I don't get 10-14 hours of sleep every day.

I might try doing a flush, but don't think I'll go as far as removing the evaporator. That is way too much time and we have to have this air conditioning working by next weekend before a friend flies in from out of state so he doesn't have to suffer being driven around in a hot car (like 110+F heat and 80% humidity).